Psalm 83

83:1 Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not
still, O God.83:2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee
have lifted up the head.83:3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted
against thy hidden ones.83:4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a
nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.83:5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are
confederate against thee:83:6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the
Hagarenes;83:7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the
inhabitants of Tyre;83:8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of
Lot.
Selah.83:9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin,
at the brook of Kison:83:10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.83:11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their
princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:83:12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in
possession.83:13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the
wind.83:14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the
mountains on fire;83:15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with
thy storm.83:16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O
LORD.83:17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be
put to shame, and perish:83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art
the most high over all the earth.

1-8 Sometimes God seems not to be concerned at the unjust
treatment of his people. But then we may Call upon him, as the
psalmist here. All wicked people are God's enemies, especially
wicked persecutors. The Lord's people are his hidden one; the
world knows them not. He takes them under his special
protection. Do the enemies of the Church act with one consent to
destroy it, and shall not the friends of the Church be united?
Wicked men wish that there might be No religion among mankind.
They would gladly see all its restraints shaken off, and all
that preach, profess, or practise it, cut off. This they would
bring to pass if it were in their power. The enemies of God'sChurch have always been many: this magnifies the power of theLord in preserving to himself a Church in the world.

9-18 All who oppose the kingdom of Christ may here read their
doom. God is the same still that ever he was; the same to his
people, and the same against his and their enemies. God would
make their enemies like a Wheel; unsettled in all their counsels
and resolves. Not only let them be driven away as stubble, but
burnt as stubble. And this will be the End of wicked men. Let
them be made to fear thy name, and perhaps that will bring them
to seek thy name. We should desire No confusion to our enemies
and persecutors but what may forward their Conversion. The
stormy tempest of Divine vengeance will overtake them, unless
they repent and seek the pardoning Mercy of their offended Lord.God's triumphs over his enemies, clearly prove that he is,
according to his name Jehovah, an almighty Being, who has all
power and Perfection in himself. May we fear his wrath, and
yield ourselves to be his willing servants. And let us seek
deliverance By the Destruction of our fleshly lusts, which War
against the soul.